LBFD rescues women trapped in accident on Redondo at the 405 freeway

Just before 10:00 a.m. this morning, January 7, units from the Long Beach Fire Department responded to Redondo Avenue and the 405 freeway to a report of an injury traffic accident with a trapped victim.

Engine 17 arrived on scene to find a white SUV, with severe damage to the drivers’ side, perched precariously on the embankment beneath the 405 on Redondo. The 54-year-old female driver was in severe distress and was entangled in the wreckage of her vehicle. Due to the positioning and complexity of the extrication, the Long Beach Fire Department Urban Search and Rescue team (USAR team) responded to the scene.

Witnesses reported the collision between a 4-door Ford Taurus, which was pulling out of the driveway of a self-storage facility, and the SUV, which was driving on Redondo. The force of the impact sent the SUV careening through a chain link fence where it came to rest half way between the street and the top of the embankment.

The USAR team used specialized shores to stabilize the vehicle, which was in danger or rolling back down the hill, possibly crushing rescue workers and further injuring the driver. Once stabilized, it took fire crews about 5–10 minutes to remove the patient from the SUV, after which, she was transported to a local trauma center.

The 63-year-old male driver of the Ford Taurus was not injured and was not transported. A total of 21 Long Beach firefighters responded to this incident. There were no other injuries reported and no damage noted to the overpass. Redondo remained closed to all traffic for the duration of the incident.